Indicating device



Feb. 10, 1942. E. FRlsCHKNEcH-r INDICATING DEVICE Filed Aug. 19, 195'? 2Sheets-Sheet l FIG. 2

FIG. I

FIG. 4

FIG.3

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l null u Wmig Qlllm INVENTOR ERNEST FRISCHKNECHT FIG. I2

III

ATTORN Y Feb. 10, 1942-. E. FRlscHKNEcH-r 2,272,242

INDIGATING DEVICE Filed Aug. 19, 1957 2 sheets-sheet 2 FIG. 6

42 l Jp a 67 FIG. 7

INVNTOR ERNEST FRISCHKNECHT aww@ ATT RN Y Patented Feb. 10, i942 UNITEDsTaTlss;l 'PATENT A OFFICE 2,212,242 Y INDICATmG DEVICE ErnestFrischknechtfJackson Heights, N. Y., as-

signor to The Teleregister Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporationof Delaware Application August 19, 1937, serial No. 159,849

1o claims. (ci. 111-328) This invention relates to indicating devicesand especially to the general class of indicators such, for example, asis shown inthe patent to Merton L. Haselton, No. 2,049,499, issuedAugust 4, 1936, these indicators being particularly adaptable for use inbrokers automatic stock quotation boards or other bulletin boards fordisplaying information.

In indicators of this class the` speed of operation is limited by theinertia of the indicia carrying drum, which drum is started and stoppedmanytimes during each of the stepping opera-V tions requiredto reset theindicators to new positions. In an effort to minimize the effect of theinertia of the drum, indicators have been devised heretofore in whichthe indicia carrying drum is caused to rotate by the action of a coilspring intermediate the driving element and the drum whereby the springtension increases in proportion to the angular advance of the drivingmeans with respect to the drum. This type of indicator is provided witha resilient back stop for stopping the drum in its rest position and aback ratchet mechanism for preventing movement of the drum in a reversedirection. The provision of the resilient back stop and the ratchetmechanism adds to the mass of the drum and thereby increases the inertiaof the drum, causing additional friction at the drum bearings which mustbe overcome by the coil spring above referred to, and the ratchetemployed adds to the work to be done by the coil spring. As the coilspring is necessarily of suicient strength to overcome the frictionaleiect of the drum bearings, the spring tension is of suillcientmagnitude to cause the drum to accelerate quickly and forcibly strikethe back stop after the drum shaft has come to rest, thus causingappreciable wear on the parts, tending to shorten the life of the unit.

Among the objects of the present invention is the provision of means forminimizing the effect of the inertia of the indicia carrying drum, andfor causing the indicator to operate reliably at a considerably higherrate of speed than has been possible heretofore with the same electricalenergy input to the indicator or to operate at speeds heretoforeattained, with considerably less electrical energy input to theindicator.

Another object is an indicator having a range of operation greater thanthat heretofore obtainable, and which will operate at high speeds inresponse to impulses that vary Within wide limits both with respect tothe length of the impulses and the signal strength thereof.

Another object of the invention is a rotatable drum type indicator inwhich the various characters on the drum structure viewable from thefront of the unit are much larger than those obtainable with drum typeindicators heretofore devised, without increasing the over all frontaldimensions of the indicator unit and without increasing the over alldimensions of the quotation board.

A further object is an indicator of the class described in which thevarious characters on the drum structure may have the same size as thoseobtainable with drum type indicators heretofore employed in quotationboards, with substantially reduced over all frontal dimensions of theindicater units, whereby a greater number of items may be posted on aboard without increasing the over all dimensions ofthe board.

An additional object is an indicator for mounting in adjacentrelationship with other indicators of a group such that the characterson the indicator are substantially twice the size of the charactersheretofore displayed by indicators having substantially the same frontaldimensions, with the characters of adjacent indicators separated by adistance substantially equal to the width of a character.

Still another object of the invention is an indicator structurecomprising a plurality of nested drums in which the characters of aseries of characters are apportioned between the drums, the drumscoacting with each other to selectively display any of the characters ofthe series.

The invention further resides in the features of combination,construction and arrangement hereinafter described and claimed.

For an understanding of the invention, and for illustration of some ofthe various forms it may take, reference is had to the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one embodiment of an indicator unitemploying certain features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front View of the indicator unit of Fig. 1;

y Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section, taken .along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1,showing certain parts in the position they assume when the indicatordrum is at rest;

Fig. 4 is a cross section, taken along the line 4--4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a view, partly in section, taken along the line 5 5 of Fig. 1,showing certain details of the indicator drum and commutator structureassociated therewith;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of another embodiment of an indicator unitcomprising other features of the invention;

Fig. 'I is a view, partly in section, taken along the line of Flgu;

Fig. 8 is a view, partly in section, along the line l-l of Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 shows certain details of the gear train, taken along the line9--9 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 10 shows the means for stopping the indicator drums in the blankposition, taken along the line IB-IU of Fig. 6;

Fig. 11 shows another form of cam structure whichmay be employed withthe indicators of Figs. 1 to 10;

Fig. 12 shows a further form of cam structure adapted for use with theindicators of Figs. 1 to 10; and

Fig. 13 is a diagram illustrating a certain desired relationship betweenthe characters on drums of adjacent indicator units, obtainable withindicators such as shown in Figs. 6 to 10.

The invention is shown in connection with an indicator unit of the classdisclosed in the Haselton patent above referred to. It is to beunderstood, however, that various `features disclosed herein are notlimited to an indicator unit of this general construction.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 5, there is shown an indicator unit comprising aU shaped frame I having an upper leg member 2, a lower leg member 3 andan end portion 4. The leg members 2 and I are connected by cross members5 and 6 to provide a rigid frame construction. Secured to the crossmembers 6 is a mask 'I through which are displayed the indicia on anindicator drum l rotatably supported on a shaft 9 which is rotatablymounted on the leg members 2 and- 3. As described in the patent toHaselton hereinbefore referred to, the indicator drum preferably isprovided with indicia comprising a blank space and the digits 1 to 9 and0.

An armature II, having a working end I2 and a lever portion I3, Fig. 3,is pivotally mounted at I I so as to be attracted by the electromagnetI5 against the action of the retractile spring IE. When the armature isattracted by the electromagnet, the end Il engages the star wheel I8,causing the shaft 9 to be advanced approximately one twenty-second of arevolution and as the magnet I5 is deenergized, the retractile spring I6 causes the end I9 of the armature to engage the star wheel and advancethe same approximately one twenty-second of a revolution, whereby thestar wheel and shaft 9 are advanced one eleventh of a revolution foreach cycle of operations of the fork I2.

A commutator 2I is rigidly mounted on the shaft 9, which commutatorcoaots with the contact springs 22 and 23 to cause the shaft 9 to assumethe position corresponding to the blank position of the indicator aftersufficient step-bystep restoration impulses have been transmitted to theunit to advance the shaft to the blank position. Following thetransmission of restoration impulses, sufficient step-by-step actuationimpulses are transmitted to the indicator unit to cause the same to takethe desired new setting, the circuit for the actuation impulses beingcompleted through the commutator 2l in the manner described in theHaselton patent above referred to. Fig. 5 shows the position of thecommutator with respect to the contact springs 22 and 23 when thesetting thereof is in accordance with the setting of the indicator unitshown in Figs. 1 `to 4.

The indicator drum 8 has a sleeve portion 2l whereby the drum is mountedon the shaft 9 so as to rotate freely with respect to the shaft, thelower portion of the sleeve 24 terminating in a cam surface 25 whichcoacts with a corresponding cam surface 26 on the shaft 9.

With the indicator unit at rest, the sleeve 24 assumes the position withrespect to the shaft 9 shown on Fig. 4, the cam surfaces 25 and 26 ofthe sleeve and shaft respectively being in contact with one anotherwhereby the drum has moved axially along the shaft 9 until it hasassumed the lowermost position possible. Whilev any suitable means, forexample, the force exerted by a spring or magnetic attraction, may beemployed to cause the cam surface 25 to press against the cam surface26, I prefer to utilize the force of gravity acting on the drum 8.

The operation of this indicator unit will now be described: As eachimpulse is received by the electromagnet I5, the armature II is quicklyattracted thereto, causing the end Il to engage the star-wheel I8 andmove the latter quickly through substantially one twenty-second of arevolution. Since the star wheel I8, the commutator 2| and shaft 9,including the cam portion 26, are rigidly attached one to another, theseparts also move quickly through the same angular degree of movement asthe star wheel. The cam 26 will move ahead angularly with respect to thedrum due to the inertia of the drum re tal-ding the movement thereof andthe cam surfaces 25 and 26 will be angularly displaced with respect toeach other thereby causing the drum to be moved upward, and since thedrum is continuously acted upon by a force causing the cam surfaces 25and 26 to exert pressure against each other, the drum will rotate in thedirection of movement of the shaft 9.

When the armature II assumes the position shown on the drawings with theend I9 in engagement with the star wheel, the shaft 9 will havecompleted its angular movement of approximately one eleventh of acomplete rotation and the drum 8 will be additionally raised away fromthe cam surface 26 and continue to followthe shaft 9 by theaction of thecams 25 and 2S. As the movement of the shaft 9 is continued in responseto additional impulses received by the electromagnet I5, the angulardisplacement be tween the cams 25 and 26 may vary, the drum continuingits rotation until no further impulses are received, at which time thedrum comes to rest in the position shown on Fig. 4, with respect to theshaft. It will be noted that the inertia of the drum is not positivelyincluded in the mass to be started and stopped with each movement of thearmature, and thus the indicator may be operated at a relatively highrate of speed due to the method of applying the rotative force to thedrum.

The outer corners of the cam surfaces 25 and 26 preferably are slightlyrounded to facilitate a smooth cam action during the operation of theindicator, and both cams are brought to a point or otherwise formed toprevent the drum assuming a rest position from the position shown onFig. 4 with respect to the shaft.

Figs. 6 to 10 show a modied form of the in vention, in which the digitsor other characters of a series of characters are apportioned to aplurality of nested drums, which drums are successively rotatable todisplay any selected one of the various characters of the series. 'I'henumber of nested drums employed, and the number of actuating elementsrequired to operate them, will depend upon the number and nature of thecharacters in the series, the desired size of the Icharacters displayed,and the manner in which the .characters are apportioned to the variousdrums. For the purpose of illustration, two nested drums are shown inFigs. 6 to 10, and the digits 1 to 9, 0 and a blank position areapportioned to the two drums. With this latter arrangement the digitsdisplayed by the indicator of Fig. 6 (which has the same frontaldimensions as the indicator of Fig. 1) may be substantially twicethesize of the digits shown on the indi` cator of Fig. 1

Referring to Figs. 6 and 1, an electromagnet 3| attracts an armature 32to cause movement of the star Wheel 33 in generally the same manner asthe indicator unit of Fig. 1. The star wheel 33 is rigidly mounted on ashaft 34 supporting the commutator 35 and a gear 36. The commutator isin electrical contact with the shaft and is provided with an insulatingbutton 31 for engagement with a commutator spring 38 when the shaft 34is in a position to display a blank setting. In all other positions ofthe shaft 34, the spring 38 is in electrical contact with the commutator35 and disengaged from the spring 39. The spring 38 is connected to oneend of the winding of the electromagnet 3| and the circuit is continuedthrough the commutator 35, the shaft 34, springs 4| and 42 to ground inall positions of the shaft 34 except the blank position. When the shaft34 is in the blank position this circuit is interrupted by theinsulating button 31, and the spring 38 is in electrical contact withthe spring 39 and the slip connection 43, in such a manner that-whenactuating impulses are received at the slip connection 44, the circuitis continued through the slip connection 44, winding of theelectromagnet 3|, the commutator spring 38 and thence to ground at thespring 42 when the shaft 34 is in any of its moved positions, or throughthe spring 39 and slip connection 43 to ground when it is desired tomove the indicator unit from its rest or blank position.

Mounted on the shaft 34 is a ratchet disc 49 provided with a series ofdetents 45 arranged circularly thereon which coact with the ratchetspring 46, whereby the shaft 34 is prevented from moving in the reversedirection as the indicator unit operates.

The gear 36 meshes with a gear 41 having the same number of teeth as thegear 36. The gear 41 is attached by a sleeve or other suitable means tothe gears 48 and 49 and is pivotally mounted on the stud 5I so that theassembly of gears 41, 48 and 49 rotates as a unit under control of theshaft' 34, making one revolution for each revolution of the shaft 34.

The intermittent gear 49 is provided with twenty-two teeth arranged onone-half the periphery thereof, the other half of the periphery beingsmooth. Intermittent gear 48 is similar in all respects to gear 49, andthe gears 48 and 49 are so mounted that the smooth portion of one gearis opposite the toothed portion of the other,

the gears being displaced 180 one from the' other. Gear 48 engages gear52 and gear 49 engages gear 53. Intermittent gears 52 and 53 are similarin construction and are each provided with twenty-one teeth in acontinuous series and an arcuate portion intermediate the ends of theseries of teeth,V these arcuate portions being of such shape as toengage the smooth portion of the gears48 and 49 respectively. The gears52 and 53 would have twenty-four teeth each if no blank portion wereprovided, which arrangement provides a gear ratio between the gears 48and 52, and 49 and 53, of 6:11 such that, as the gears 48 and`49 areadvanced 11 steps through one complete rotation thereof, the gear 52makes one revolution and the gear 53 also makes one revolution, the gear53 advancing through one complete revolution in six steps while thegears 48 and 49 are advancing through the first six steps of theirrevolution, and the gear 52 making one revolution in six steps while thegears 48 and 49 are advancing through the last six steps of theirrevolution. During the movement of the gears 48 and 49 from the fifth tothe sixth step, gears 52 and 53 are concurrently advanced one step, atwhich time the inner drum is advanced to its blank position, the outerdrum advancing to display the digit 6 at this time. The gear 52 isrigidly attached to the shaft 54 which shaft carries a cam 55 securedthereto. The outer drum 56 is supported by a sleeve 51 adapted to rotatefreely about the shaft 54 and provided with a cam surface 58 whichcoacts with a complementary cam surface 59 of the cam 55. The gear 53 isattached to a sleeve 6| having a cam surface 62 the sleeve being free toturn about the shaft 54. An inner drum 63 is supported by a sleeve 64having a cam surface 65 for engagement with the cam surface 62 of thesleeve 6i, the sleeve 64 also being rotatable about the shaft 54.

The inner drum 63 bears a blank portion and the indicia 1 to 5 whereasthe outer drum has a section 66 cut away of sufficient size to exposeany of the indicia of the inner drum and bears the indicia 6 to 9 and 0upon the outer surface thereof.

A mask 61 is provided with an aperture 68 of suflicient size to displayany of the selected digits. This mask may readily be removed by slippingone end of the mask around one of the studs 69 which hold the mask inposition. The mask is provided with a projecting portion 12 at the upperand lower edges thereof which abut the end of the upper and lower frameportions of the unit and thus maintain the mask in exact positionrelative to the indicia bearing drums.

The operation of this indicator unit will now be described in detail.Assuming, for example, that the indicator is set to display the digit 1as shown on the drawings and it is desired that the setting be changedto display the digit 8, sufficient restoration impulses are transmittedto the indicator coil 3| to cause the indicator to be restored to blank.The restoration circuit may be traced from the slip connection 44,electromagnet 3l, commutator spring 38, commutator 35 and thence to thegrounded shaft 34. v

In response to the firstl five restoration impulses, the inner drum 63advances to the blank position and during the fifth and the succeedingfive restoration impulses the outer drum is given one complete rotation,and the insulating button 31 engages the spring 38 and disengages thespring 38 from the grounded commutator 35 and connects the spring 38 tothe spring 39 as the tenth restoration impulse is received. Suchadditional restoration impulses as may be received are ineffective asthe springs 38 and 39 are now ungrounded. The indicator will assume theblank position with the blank portion of the inner drum in alignmentwith the cut away portion 66 of the outer drum and the aperture 68 ofthe mask.

Ground is now placed on the slip connection 43 and eight actuationimpulses are transmitted to the unit. The first of these impulses causesthe commutator 35 to advance one position thereby to cause theinsulating button 31 to leave the spring 38 and the spring 3B to engagethe grounded commutator 35 and become disengaged from the commutatorspring 39. During movement of the gear 3B in response to the first lm-lpulse the gear 53 is advanced one position. As the next succeeding fourimpulses are received the gear 53 is advanced i additional steps. As thesixth impulse is received both the gears E2 and 53 are advanced oneposition. As the seventh and eighth operating impulses are received thegear 52 and cam 55 are advanced to their third position after which theouter drum comes to rest to display the digit E.

In this position, as in all other moved positions of the outer drum, theinner drum assumes a position with its blank portion directly behind theaperture 6B in the inaslr but concealed by the outer drum. It will benoted that the inner drum 63 receives its rotative movement through theaction of cam surfaces 62 and 65 and the outer drum 56 is moved throughthe action of cams 5t and 59 whereby the drums are not required to startand stop each time the gears 62 and 53 are stepped ahead but are movedaxially in accordance with the angular displacement ol' the drums withrespect to the gears as the indicator unit operates. This arrangementprovides for an indicator unit having indicia of approxi-J mately twicethe size of those employed hereto-n fore with indicators havingsubstantially the same frontal dimensions.

Referring now to Fig. lil there are shown thereon two drums A and Elclosely spaced in the manner at present employed in stock quotationsystems for posting numbers representative of the prices oi stocks andthe lilre. The radius of each drum is indicated by the referencecharacter R, and the circumference C of each drum is equal to 21rR.Since each of the drums 5G and 63, Fig. 7, is divided into six equalchar acter spaces each comprising an arc oi' 60 degrees, the arcuatedistance allotted to each character, as indicated on Fig. 13, is

and the distance or space between the centers of the two drums issubstantially equal to twice the radius of each, or substantially 2R.

Since the chord dened by a 60 arc of a circle is equal to the radius ofthe circle, each of the characters displayed by adjacent indicators willextend' into the space 2R between the centers cf the drums A and B by anamount and the distance between the inner edges of the characters on thedrums A and B will be equal to the distance R, which is substantiallythe width of a character. This arrangement will be found to beparticularly effective in regard to visibility of the posted digits andeconomyof space oc cupied by the indicators.

In contrast to the foregoing arrangement, the drum type indicatorsheretofore employed have an indicating drum with 1l positions fordisplaying the digits l to 9, 0 and,v blank, and the arcu caracas atedistance allotted to each of the characters may be represented by theexpression 21rR 1T and the distance between the inner edges ofcharacters of adjacent indicator units is indicated generally by theexpression l 21TH n 2R-lr since, in the case of relatively small anglesthe arcuate distance is substantially equal to the subtended chord theinner edges of the characters on each of the adjacent indicators beingseparated by a distance of approximately two and one half times theWidth of a character.

The arrangement disclosed in Figs. 6 to 10 is of particular importancein connection with the rotatable indicator units which comprise .inautomatic stock quotation board, since the size of the quotation boardnecessarily is limited by the space available in the broker-s office,and the large number of stocks whose prices are displayed requires theuse of thousands of individual indicator units in each stock quotationboard, the settings of which indicators must clearly be visible toobservers in customers rooms of brokers omces, and also to the customersmen who report the prices of the various stocks to customers.

By the use of the indicators disclosed, each of the digits of a stockquotation indicator may be made substantially twice as large as thedigits of the rotatable drum indicators at present employed in stockquotation boards, and thus the visibility of the digits and the distanceat which the prices may be observed is greatly increased, Withoutincreasing the frontal dimensions of the indicator units or the over alldimensions of the quotation board. This enables observers in thecustomers rooms of brokers oflices and the like to follow the .stockprices from a greater distance and over a greater portion of thequotation board than has heretofore been possible. In installations ofthe size usually employed, an observer may readily follow the stockprices over the entire board Without leaving his seat in the customersroom. The structure of Figs. 6 to l0 also makes it possible to employindicator digits of the size at present in use in stock quotationboards, with substantially reduced over all frontal dimensions of theindicator units, so that a greater number of stocks may be posted on aboard of given size than has heretofore been possible, and with such anarrangement the customers may observe the activity of a greater numberof stocks from a given position.

Another advantage of the foregoing structure is that brokers customersmen, who have fixed stations at telephones in the customers rooms, canquote prices of any of the stocks displayed on the board without leavingtheir stations at the telephone and without the necessity of writingdown or memorizing the prices of those stocks which heretofore have notbeen discernible from their stations, and thus materially reduce thepossibility of error in quoting stock prices to customers in response totelephoned requests.

The cam surfaces 25 and 26 shown on Fig. 4

v may be replaced by the arrangement of Fig. 11

wherein either cam surface is replaced by a pin 12 extending from theshaft El and coacting with the other cam surface, or the arrangement ofFig. 12 maybe employed wherein a roller 'I3 is mounted on the stud 14extending from the shaft 9. The use of the pin 12 or the roller 13 inthe manner here shown and described results in an inexpensivearrangement of parts which gives satisfactory results generally in themanner of the cams and 2B of Fig. 4.

While the indicator unit of Figs.. 6 to 10 has been shown as comprisingtwoindicator drums, the present invention is not so limited, sinceadditional drums may be similarly employed to display a larger number ofcharacters. For example, three drums may be employed to display theletters of the alphabet. With this arrangement each of the two outerdrums would have a cut away portion through which the characters of theinner drum are exposed. Each of the three drums would be settable to 10positions including the blank or rest position. The letters of thealphabet may be arranged in any convenient manner upon the drums, suchas the letters A to I on the outer drum, J to R on the intermediatedrum, and the letters S to Z and blank upon the inner drum.

Another arrangement would employ, for example, four drums, the firstthree of which would display the letters of the alphabet in the mannerjust described and the fourth or innermost drum the digits l to 9 andil. With this arrangement all but the innermost drum would have a cutaway portion and the blank position would be displayed by the blankportion of the drum bearing the letters S to Z. Any other suitablearrangement may be employed such as, for example, an arrangementcomprising digits l to 9 and blank on the inner drum, the letter O beingused to display digit 0. It will further be understood that the digitsmay be arranged on any of the drums and `the alphabet arranged in anydesired order on the remaining drums. In fact not only digits andletters may be so displayed but any other character such as, forexample, any of the punctuation marks or symbols representative offoreign currency and the like.

When more than two drums are employed, it is merely necessary to employsufiicient cam elements to operate the various drums and choose theproper arrangement of gearing such that the drums are operated insuccessive relationship in accordance with the character to bedisplayed.

In each of the foregoing modifications, the indicator has a greaterrange of operation than that heretofore obtainable, because it Willoperate at high speeds in response to impulse that vary within widelimits. 'I'he operating characteristics of indicators of the classherein described may be defined by reference to the percentage ofsignal, or stepping pulse, to which the indicator will respond at agiven speed of operation. During flow of the current comprising eachstepping pulse the electromagnet of the indicator is energized andactuates the indicator drum driving shaft one-half step, the shaft beingrotated another half-step by the action of the retractile spring duringthe no-current interval immediately following the pulse. The periodcomprising the flow of current representing each pulse and theno-current interval immediately following the pulse is the basis onwhich the length of signal is ordinarily computed. For instance, a 38%pulse means that the current comprising each stepping pulse flows duringthe initial 38% of the above named period, the pulse being followed byan interval of 62% during which no current flows. The indicatorsheretofore devised will not operate, at the high speeds now required, onless than a 38% pulse or more than an 8,1% pulse (which means that theminimum signal to which such indicators will respond applies a pulse tothe indicators of 38% followed by a no-current interval of 62%, and themaximum signal with which the indicators will operate applies a pulse of81 to the indicators followed by a no-current interval of 19%). In thestructure of the present invention, however, there is little frictionand inertia to be overcome at the instant the pulses are received andthe indicator drum is not required t0 take its setting until after allthe pulses of a train have been received, and the retractile spring doesnot have to overcome the inertia of the drum after each pulse isreceived, and therefore the indicator will operate over a considerablywider pulse range than the indicators devised heretofore, the indicatorsatisfactorily operating at high speeds on a minimum pulse of 28% and amaximum pulse of 87%, or any pulse intermediate these limits. Thisresults in an indicator which will operate reliably at high speeds. andwhich does not require the delicate adjustments heretofore necessary inindicators of thel class described. Also, since the indicator of theinvention has a greater operating range, the possibility of error in theprices displayed by the in-` dicators of the quotation board is greatlyreduced.

While the invention has been described in detail with respect toparticular preferred examples thereof which give satisfactory results,it will be understood by those skilled in the art after understandingthe invention, that various changes and modifications may be madewithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention;

and it is intended therefore in the appended claims to cover all suchchanges and modifications.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. In an indicator, a rotatable shaft, indicia bearing means rotatablymounted on said shaft, cam driving mechanism between said shaft andindicia bearing'means to cause the latter means to follow and to lag themovement of said shaft during rotation of the shaft to a new position,and means including said cam driving mechanism for arresting themovement of the indicia bearing means after said` means has movedthrough the same angular distance as the shaft.

2. An indicator comprising an indicia bearing member, means foradvancing said member with a rapid step-by-step movement, and meansincluding cam driving mechanism intermediate said advancing means andsaid member to cause the movement of said advancing means to proceedwithout immediately overcoming the inertia of said member and to causemovement of the member to follow and to lag that of the advancing meansduring the movement of the advancing means.

3. In an indicator device for selectively displaying indicia andcomprising a rotatable shaft and means responsive to current impulsesignals for rotating the shaft to different settings respectivelycorresponding to the indicia to be displayed, an indicia bearing memberdriven by said shaft and rotatable about the shaft, and means forsubstantially neutralizing the effect of the inertia of the indiciabearing member on the rotative movement of the shaft, said meansincluding cam surfaces on the shaft and indicia bearing member coactingto cause the rotative movement of said member to lag the rotativemovement of the shaft when taking a new setting and to come to rest,after the shaft has taken its new setting, to display the selectedindicium.

4. In an indicator device for selectively displaying indicia andcomprising a rotatable shaft and means responsive to current impulsesignals for rotating the shait to different settings ren spectivelvcorresponding to the indicia to be disw played, an indicia bearingmember mounted to rotate about the shaft and axially movable alone theshaft, and means for substantially neutralizing the effect of theinertia of the indicia bearing member on the the rotative movement ofthe shaft, said means including cam surfaces on the shaft and indiciabearing member coacting to cause said member to move axially along theshaft during rotative movement of the shaft 'to facilitate the rotativemovement of the shaft, said means causing the rotative movement of theinu dicia bearing member' to lag 'the rotative movem ment of the shaftand come to rest, after the shaft has taken a new setting, to displaythe selected indicium.

5. In an indicator device .for selectively displaying indicia andcomprising a rotatable shaft and means responsive to current impulsesignals for rotating the shaft to diiferent settings respectivelycorresponding to the indicia to be disn played, an indicia bearingmember driven by said shaft and rotatable about said shaft, and meansfor substantially neutralizing the effect oi' the inn ertia of theindicia bearing member on 'the rotative movement of the shaft, saidmeans including cam surfaces on the shaft and indicia bearing memberenacting to cause the rotative movement of said member to lag therotative movement of the shaft when taking a new setting, said meansincluding said cam surfaces .for causing the indicia bearing member torotate in either direction and come to rest, after 'the shaft has takenits new setting, to display the selected indicium.

6. In an indicator device for selectively' dis playing indicia andcomprising a vertically dis posed rotatable shaft and means responsiveto current impulse signals for rotating the shaft to different setting-srespectively corresponding to the indicia to be displayed, an indiciabearing member mounted to rotate about the shaft and axially movablevertically along the shaft, and means for substantially neutralizing theeffect oi' the inertia of the indicia bearing member on the rotativemovement of the shaft, said means including cam surfaces on the shaftand indicia bearing member coasting to cause said member to move axiallyalong the shaft against the force of gravity to facilitate rotativemovement of the shaft, said means causing the indicia bearing member torotate about the shaft and come to caracas rest under the influence ofgravity, after the shaft has 'taken a new setting, to displayF theselected lndicium.

'7. An indicator of the class described for selectively displaying anyone of the characters of a series, said indicator comprising apluralityV of nested rotatable elements having salu characters oi" theseries apportioned thereto and coasting to selectively display anycharacter' or said series, the outermost ci said elements having an aparture for displaying the characters ci the other element, and meansresponsive to for rc tating said elements to diri-errent positionsresp-ecMM tively to display said characters.

B. ln a posting device, a plurality of nested rotatable elementscollectivelv having series cl' characters thereon, one of said elementscorregir-issJ ing an aperture for displaying 'the characters of theother element, means operatively connected to said rotatable elementstor causing said elements to taire settings for selectively posting anyone of said characters, said means causing each selected character toappear in. the same place each oi the other characters occupies whenposted.

means whereby any oi the characters on said dis.

play means are brought into operative relationn ship with said mash toindicate the setting ci 'the device.

lu. An indicating device comprisuig,r a plurality of vertical rotatablenested members for display ing the settings or the device, a first groupol" characters carried by one of said members, and a second group oicharacters carried by the ren ymainder of said members, certain of saidmemu bers having an apertured portion through which the characters onthe remainder ci said members may be displayed, said hrs-t and secondgroups of characters on said members collectively comprising the digitsl to 9 and 0 in overlappiner relationship and arranged to cause 'thewidth of each character to be not less than substantially onehali theWidth of the indicating device.

ERNEST FRISCHENECHT.

